Almost Human: Season 1, Episode 3
by bionic4ever
Summary: Season One, Episode Three: Oliver Spencer has returned with vengeance on his mind. Jaime, Steve, Oscar and the entire OSI are in grave danger! Bionic thanks to the members of The Bionic Project....and to Julie.
1. Prologue

**Almost Human** – Season One, Episode Three

Prologue

"Oscar, what the _hell_ were you thinking?" The voice striding into Oscar's office was both outraged and authoritative – a tone most people wouldn't dream of taking with the Director of the OSI. Then again, this was not someone who'd ever considered himself in a class with 'most people'.

"Oliver! Back from Europe already?" In Oscar's opinion, two years was not nearly a long enough time apart from Oliver Spencer. He had handed the reins of the OSI over to Oscar only with the greatest reluctance. (After all, no one could do the job justice like Oliver Spencer, at least in his own mind.)

"When I heard what you've done, I had no choice but to come back and fix it!" Spencer growled.

Oscar grinned, but only to himself. "Why don't you tell me exactly what it is I've done to offend you – so I can be sure to do it again?" He was only half-kidding.

"Not funny, Goldman. I thought I'd made it clear that Austin was to be kept tuned down and activated only for missions; instead, you've gone and created another one! A _woman_, no less!"

"They are not machines," Oscar seethed. "You can't keep human beings in suspended animation, to use when you choose!"

"The hell, I can't!"

"It's unethical," Oscar pointed out.

"We had a very succinct agreement when I left, Goldman – and you haven't followed through! If you're unwilling to tune them down the way they're supposed to be....well, then you'll have to deactivate them immediately! _Both_ of them!"

Oscar remained outwardly defiant and in control, but inside, he was deeply worried. While Spencer no longer had the authority to accomplish it, he just might have the necessary pull....

- - - - -


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"He can't possibly be serious!" Rudy snapped, pacing his office. "It's unethical – not to mention cruel!"

Oscar stared grimly at the carpet. "I agree, but unfortunately he _is_ serious. And he's having lunch with the Secretary as we speak. Steve's on his way here; it'll be hard enough to explain this to him. I have no idea how we're going to tell Jaime -"

"Tell Jaime what?" Steve asked from the doorway. At the two men's startled looks, he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry – the door was open," he said, closing it as he entered.

"You'd better sit down, Pal," Oscar told him. Slowly, reluctantly, he and Rudy filled Steve in on what was happening. "We won't let it happen," Oscar concluded.

"We _can't_ let it happen," Rudy added.

Steve's head was in his hands. His thoughts weren't of himself....but of Jaime. "And Jaime doesn't know yet?"

"No. Rudy and I agree she has the right to be told, but -"

"But this will devastate her!" Steve mourned. "Even if you win the battle. Jaime is still just getting used to the idea of _being_ bionic! The thought that this idiot considers her a machine – a tool! - it'll crush her! At least she's clear across the country and away from this. Maybe, for now, we should keep it that way."

Oscar shook his head. "She's here, Pal – in DC. Just back from a mission."

"We have to prepare her," Rudy said sadly, "I mean, just in case...but the damage this could do to Jaime, psychologically, at this point in her life...it's unconscionable! She may never recover emotionally from something like this! I just won't do it – that's all! And I'm the only one who really knows how!"

Steve began to outdo Rudy in pacing the office. "Oscar, you said you were gonna fight; what's the plan of action?"

"We were waiting to hear from Spencer," Oscar told him, "to see what his next move might be – so we can counter it."

The insistent rap on the door at that very instant told them the wait was over. Unexpectedly, Jack Hansen stood at Spencer's side. "You'll be getting paperwork within the hour," Oliver informed them, "but as a courtesy, I thought I'd let you know right away. Sommers and Austin are to be in the OSI laboratory – and _deactivated_ – in forty-eight hours." Sporting a gloating smile, Spencer and his new crony turned on their heels and walked away.

- - -

Jaime stepped out of her bubble bath humming happily to herself. She'd aced her assignment, with accolades from both Oscar and Rudy, and tomorrow morning she'd be on a flight back home where she'd been promised at least two full weeks of rest and relaxation before Oscar would call her again. The call from Steve that afternoon had been a surprise, but a happy one. Her heart skipped a few beats as she thought about seeing him again, and she felt herself blush. _Could I actually be...__**falling in love**__?_ she mused.

He hadn't sounded very happy on the phone – downright grim, in fact – but Jaime guessed that, as usual, Oscar was working him too hard. Maybe she could help him relax. He'd said he needed to talk to her and Jaime trembled with nervous excitement, wondering what might be on his mind. He'd been so patient and kind with her during her recovery and she looked forward to giving him a bit of that same TLC now. Maybe he could even be coaxed into returning with her to Ojai, to take a little break himself. Maybe....

She'd barely gotten dressed when he knocked on the door. She hurried to answer it – and was slightly taken aback. Instead of Steve, with a bottle of wine or maybe some flowers, Steve, Rudy and Oscar awaited her. Their eyes were dark and serious, and now Jaime's heart pounded for a different reason as they stepped inside.

"What the -" she turned to Steve, her eyes suddenly wide with instinctual fear. "What's going on?" Gently, Steve wrapped an arm around her and sat her down on the love seat. He held her close; she was going to need it.

"Babe," Oscar began, "we need to talk..."

- - - - -


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

No one wanted to start – Jaime was already frightened – but someone had to. Oscar took the lead. "Oliver Spencer came to see me this morning," he told her.

"Who's he?" Jaime asked.

Steve took her hand. "He ran the OSI before Oscar took over. He's the one who authorized my bionics."

"O...k..."

Rudy pulled a chair up, across from Steve and Jaime, and sat down heavily. "Honey, at that time, right after Steve's accident, Oliver didn't really understand the concept of bionics – beyond the fact that it would make Steve more powerful and therefore useful to the OSI. Sort of like a weapon."

Jaime looked at Steve and, imagining the pain he'd felt at being viewed that way, tears welled in her eyes. "That's terrible," she said softly.

"There's more, Babe," Oscar told her. "Oliver proposed that Steve be kept asleep – tuned down – until he was needed for missions."

"Well, thank God you took over!"

Steve pulled her closer, gently rubbing her back to try and brace her for what was to come. "Sweetheart....he still wants to see that done – to both of us."

"What?!?" Jaime began to tremble in Steve's arms and leaned her head onto the strength of his chest. "He....he can't do that...can he?"

"He has the support of the Secretary.....and help from Jack Hansen," Oscar said quietly. "Hansen has tried to find ways to undermine the OSI – and myself – since I took over, but I never thought he'd do something like this. Spencer saw a golden opportunity for some powerful support and he jumped at it." Seeing the silent tears streaming down Jaime's face, Oscar paused. "We're not about to let him do this, Babe – not without a fight."

The three men eyed each other tensely. Could Jaime handle the rest? Steve brushed the hair from her face and gazed tenderly into her eyes. "We've got the next two days to convince them they're wrong – and we _will."_

"Two days?" Jaime felt like she might pass out. "What....what do you mean, two days?" She saw the men exchange a worried glance and her mind went wild with fear. "What happens in two days?" Slowly, what they couldn't find the words to tell her sank in. "No....they can't do that...._no!"_ Crying in earnest now, she began to panic but Steve held her firmly. "They wanna put us down – like animals?" she sobbed.

"No, Sweetheart; we would still be alive, but -"

"But only when they need us to be, right?" Jaime asked bitterly.

"We won't let that happen," Steve promised.

"How? How do we stop it?" Jaime cried. "We....we could run away – somewhere they'd never find us!" She stopped thrashing long enough to think clearly, if only for a moment. "But they _would_ find us, wouldn't they? I mean, we're each carrying around millions of dollars worth of government property." She turned angrily to Oscar. "Is that all we are – government property?"

"Of course not, Babe."

"But that's how _they_ see it. Right?" Jaime looked squarely at Steve, who found it hard to meet her frightened eyes. "Of course it is." She began to fight his hold on her, twisting in his arms until finally wriggling her way out. "I've gotta get out of here!"

Steve beat her to the door, blocking it with his body. "Jaime, you said yourself that they'd find us. And you're right. Especially running blind, like you are right now. Let's sit down and -"

"NO! Steve, let me out – _please!_ I don't wanna be put to sleep! Please..." Jaime was so intent on getting past Steve and out the door that she didn't notice Rudy coming up behind her until he had plunged the needle into her arm. "Why....?" she cried weakly, slumping toward the floor.

Steve caught her and eased her limp body onto the bed, covering her gently with a warm, soft blanket. He turned to Rudy and Oscar. "I had a feeling this would happen; now what?"

- - - - -


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Will she be out long?" Steve asked softly, guilt sweeping over him as he watched Jaime sleep. What if these were truly the last two days of life as they knew it...?

"It was only a short-acting sedative," Rudy explained, "but I have more if she needs it."

"It had to be done, Pal," Oscar told him, sensing Steve's pain. "If she ran off like that – in a blind panic – it would only serve to bolster Spencer's case against both of you. Maybe we shouldn't have told her..."

"Then what?" Steve asked with a bitter shake of his head. "We just show up two days down the road and say 'Sorry, your life is over; your own government says you've a robot now'? That's unacceptable."

"This whole situation is unacceptable," Rudy agreed.

"So what do we do?" Steve repeated. "I'm sure Jaime'd feel a lot better if we at least had a firm course of action when she woke up."

Oscar looked at his watch. "I've got a meeting with the Secretary in half an hour."

"Ok," Steve said, nodding. "And when Jaime wakes up, we'll start working on a plan, too -"

"Which hopefully _won't_ involve running," Oscar told him.

"Even Jaime knows that would be pointless."

Rudy checked Jaime's vital signs, eyed her sadly and then turned to Oscar. "You can tell the Secretary that I won't do it. And there is no one else, so -"

"They have an official order, Rudy," Oscar replied. "Which I'll do everything in my power to see rescinded, but -"

"I don't care about their damned order!" Rudy fumed. "It's a piece of paper!"

"They can put you in jail – or in the Hole," Oscar pointed out.

"Let them! I still won't do it – it's inhumane!" Rudy looked at Steve, who was sitting on the edge of Jaime's bed as she was just beginning to stir. "_This_ is what they need to see – what they don't see!"

"I'll do what I can," Oscar promised, heading for the door. "Take care of her in the meantime, alright?"

"We will," Steve affirmed, sweeping a loving hand across Jaime's cheek and forcing a smile as she opened her eyes. "Hi, Sweetheart," he whispered.

Jaime looked around with unfocused eyes. "It...wasn't a dream...was it?"

"I'm sorry," Steve said, confirming her fears.

Jaime looked at Rudy banefully. "You....drugged me."

"I had to; what you were about to do could've hurt you badly – and made everything that much worse."

"Couldn't get much worse than it is," Jaime said in a tiny, miserable voice. She took Steve's hand and held it tightly. "They can't do this! I mean, you're an astronaut – a _hero!_ – if people knew...." Suddenly, Jaime's eyes lit up and she swung her legs over the side of the bed, barely able to control her excitement. "That's it!"

"Ya lost me, Sweetheart," Steve said, getting a funny feeling in his stomach nonetheless.

'We _let_ people know! The government wants to put an American Hero – and a tennis pro, although I doubt that's important – to sleep....the public will be outraged! There's no way Hansen and Spencer can win! We need to call a press conference!"

Steve grabbed her before she could get to the phone. "And expose bionics to the world? Not really a good idea -"

"So we don't tell them that part!"

"Jaime -" Rudy cautioned.

"It could work! It _will_ work, 'cause I'm gonna do it!"

"The rest will come out, Jaime," Steve argued gently. "Those reporters will start digging around in our pasts, and -"

"So what if it does?" she challenged. "Why protect the secrets of the people who wanna kill us?"

"Not kill us, exactly -"

"Pretty much!"

Steve turned to Rudy with a look that said _help me out here!_

"Honey," Rudy began (even though arguing with Jaime never turned out well), "I don't think you realize how much danger you – and Steve – would be in if bionics were exposed to the world."

"And we aren't in danger now?" she shot back. "I'm gonna do it – it's our only chance!" With one unexpected, wrenching motion, she broke away from Steve and – before either man could stop her – was out the door and gone.

- - - - -


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"I'll get her!" Steve told Rudy, who handed him a syringe.

"Just in case..." the doctor offered.

Steve shoved it into his pocket, nodded his acceptance and ran after Jaime. He rounded the corner just in time to see her step into a phone booth, but she saw him, as well...and took off at an alarming pace. With his adrenaline flowing, Steve caught up to her easily, grabbing her by the arm. "You don't wanna do this," he insisted.

"Let go of me."

"Jaime...please." Steve thought fast. "Let's go somewhere, grab a cup of coffee and just...talk. If you still wanna go through with this afterward, well... I won't stop you."

Jaime eyed him suspiciously. "Really? 'Cause this is for you, too, ya know."

"I know your intentions are good. But you know the old saying: two heads are better than one. We're a great team; we always have been. Let's talk about it, ok?"

"Alright," Jaime conceded. She allowed Steve to lead her to a nearby diner, where they took a booth in a far corner, away from any possible prying ears. The waitress brought pie and coffee and then finally they were alone.

"I know you're afraid," Steve told her.

"Aren't you?"

"Hell, yes – but I'm more afraid of what will happen if you decide to let the world in on the 'wonderful miracles' that science has made us."

"I've already decided; I'm not going down without a fight," Jaime vowed.

"There are other ways to -"

"Name one...aside from killing Spencer."

While privately, Steve had given that idea a toss or two, he wasn't about to actually _do_ it, much less admit it. "That's what we need to talk about, Sweetheart. Our options. I thought I might pay Hansen a personal visit – you can come along, if you'd like – and try to reason with him. Oscar's already working on the Secretary...and I think good old Ollie is beyond reason."

Jaime took a huge swig of her coffee. "Gotta powder my nose," she said lightly. "Be right back." She made her way through the maze of booths and tables into the ladies' room, then set about the task she'd _really_ gone in there to perform. _One window, far wall, small but do-able,_ she noted. Inspecting more closely, she found the glazed glass to be cheap and thin, unfortunately with no crank to open it. _Not a problem for __**this**__ robot!_ she thought ironically.

Breaking the glass would attract attention Jaime didn't want or need, so she carefully reached under the edge of the metal frame, bent it back and removed the entire window, border and all, setting it aside on the floor. Rather than try to jump up and through such a small target, she braced the nearby sink by propping the trash can beneath it, then climbed up and hoisted herself out and down onto the grass behind the diner.

She thought back to the recent realization that Steve knew her better than she knew herself, and Jaime hoped she hadn't been too obvious in what she'd been planning in heading to the ladies' room. As she quickly prepared to take flight and high-tail it to find a phone, strong arms grabbed her from behind, a hand firmly pressed across her mouth. _That's not Steve,_ she thought.

She was right. "Don't move, Miss Sommers," a voice commanded, "and don't say a word. You need to come with me quietly, for your own good. Struggling will only get you hurt. And I'd much rather help you than hurt you." Jaime began to struggle, preparing to deck whoever thought taking her would be this easy, but the gun barrel waved in her face before being pressed into her back was a powerful persuader.

Steve had, in fact, correctly read her intentions and rounded the corner of the diner just in time to see Jaime being forced into Jack Hansen's car at gunpoint....and driven away.

- - - - -


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"How'd it go with the Secretary?" Rudy asked when Oscar returned to Jaime's hotel room (which had become their new base of operations).

"Not good. Spencer has him convinced that I've lost control of the whole Project – and that tuning down Jaime and Steve is the only way to keep them safe.

"You mean to keep millions of dollars of equipment safe," Rudy added bitterly.

Oscar looked around the room. "Where _are_ Steve and Jaime?"

Rudy cringed. "Hopefully....they'll be back soon."

"Rudy -"

At that very moment, Steve burst through the door....alone. "Hansen's got Jaime!" he said angrily.

"What?" Rudy and Oscar were stunned. It appeared the worst was already happening.

"I tried to follow the car on foot, but he lost me just outside DC."

"Are you sure he took her out of the city?" Oscar queried.

"Unless he doubled back, which I guess he could have but..." Steve paused to catch his breath. "Where's Spencer?" he asked. "That oughta give us a clue to where Hansen took Jaime..."

- - -

Jaime was _furious_ – at Hansen, of course, but also with herself for getting into the situation in the first place. Hansen pulled his car in back of a small rental cabin and forced her inside, into a chair, where Jaime sat and glowered.

"Are you alright? I'm sorry I had to do that to you," Hansen offered.

"Yeah; I'll bet. You happy now that you've proven your so-called superiority?"

"Of course not – not yet." Hansen kept the gun at the ready but his face appeared concerned and even...kind. "Are you comfortable? Can I get you a glass of water?"

Jaime scowled. "I'm not buyin' the Mr. Nice routine, so whatever it is you brought me here for, let's get to it."

"I brought you here to _help_ you," Jack insisted. "In fact, I'm your only chance."

Jaime was having none of it. "Rudy's not cooperating, so what's on the agenda now? Nice quiet cabin here....someone about to show up and shoot me in the head?" She met his eyes evenly, too angry and just plain tired to be frightened anymore.

"Not if I can help it. In fact, that is precisely what I brought you here to prevent."

Jaime stared silently, wondering what the hell he was really up to. Would they try to extract whatever information was in her head...and then kill her? Sell her? Maybe use her to try and blackmail Oscar...or Steve? She continued the staring match, waiting warily for Hansen's next move.

"I know I'm the last person you'd want to listen to," Hansen told her, "but you need to hear me out. Your _life_ depends on it."

- - -

"Jaime's not in The Hole," Oscar announced, returning from the phone. "At least, my contacts say she isn't."

"Then again, who can we trust at the NSB?" Steve grumbled. "What about an All Points Bulletin on Hansen, or on Jaime?"

"Not good," Oscar told him. "If Jaime somehow manages to get away, she'll be picked up on the Bulletin – and put right back into their hands. And an APB on Hansen might force him in a direction we don't want him to go. It's too risky."

"Then – what?"

"I've got my people working the phones, checking for car and boat rentals, and another team trying to get a bead on Spencer and Hansen's locations. Also a car outside the Secretary's office...just in case."

"Oscar, you don't think -" Rudy gasped.

"I don't know _what_ to think! He's gone along with them this far. Rudy, I'd also like to get you somewhere safe, where they can't grab you and force you to -"

"They'll never force me to do that!" Rudy vowed. "And I need to be here; when you bring Jaime back, she might need my help."

"It wasn't a suggestion, Rudy," Oscar informed him. "There's a car on the way right now, to take you to a safe house. You'll be close enough, if Jaime – or Steve – need you, but out of their reach. And _safe_."

Steve paced restlessly. "And in the meantime, I'm gonna find Jaime _and_ take care of Hansen. He'll _wish_ he was only being 'put to sleep'!"

- - - - -


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"I'm listening," Jaime seethed through teeth clenched with tension and anger. "Not that I have any other choice."

"I sorry for the way I had to get you here," Jack began.

"Oh, you mean by kidnapping me? With a gun?"

"I _am_ sorry about that; I truly am."

"Yeah...I'll bet."

Jack ran a frustrated hand over his forehead and through his hair. His other hand still held the gun. "Look, I don't expect you to believe a word I say, but -"

"Good," Jaime replied defiantly. "Then we're on the same page."

"What I did to you today was a hell of a lot better than what would've happened if I hadn't!" Jack insisted. "Oliver Spencer convinced the Secretary that Oscar and Rudy's Bionic Project was out of hand."

"With a little help from you!"

"At that point, unfortunately, yes," Hansen admitted. "I agreed with him that the two of you should be neutralized between missions. That was the original intention of the Project, from what I understand." Jaime concentrated on shooting death rays at him with her eyes while she tried to plan her best means of escape. "But when I heard the rest of Spencer's ideas, I couldn't go along with him – and when I followed you today and saw the way you and Steve were together....I knew I was right. I couldn't let him go through with it."

"With what?" Jaime asked cautiously. "He'd already planned to have us 'put to sleep' – what more could he do, after that?"

"However I feel about Oscar – and it's no secret that we don't get along," Hansen continued, "and whatever doubts I may have about the feasibility of giving human beings so much physical strength and then expecting them to remain under voluntary control....I couldn't let him do it. So I had to bring you here, away from Oliver Spencer, to stop him."

"_Stop him from what?"_ Jaime demanded. "What is he planning to do?"

"Kill you."

- - -

"Faster!" Steve ordered the OSI driver. Oscar's team had picked up a report of a campgrounds just over the border in Maryland where, after being told there were no rentals available, a man had bullied his way into being granted one by flashing a government ID. (The ID bore the name of an NSB agent killed in action over ten years earlier, but the rental agent didn't know that.) Oscar had alerted the State Police to let them go by and he, Steve and Russ were being sped toward the campground by the OSI's best driver.

"Any word on Spencer?" Oscar asked Russ.

"Nothing; we don't know where he is."

"He was probably already there, waiting for them," Steve theorized.

"I may be giving Hansen and Spencer exactly what they want," Oscar said quietly, "by letting you come along, Pal."

"Like you could've stopped me? Besides, even if this is a trap – which it probably is – and they're using Jaime as a lure....I'll break every bone in both of their bodies before they even know I'm there!" The thought of Jaime in the hands of the very people who wanted to do them both harm made his skin crawl....and turned his blood icy-cold.

"That won't be necessary," Oscar ordered. (Although he had to admit it would be pretty damn satisfying at this point!) "They've over-stepped their precious order by taking Jaime, and destroyed any chance of legally carrying it through."

Steve shook his head. "Doesn't seem like they're concerned with legalities anymore." He tapped the driver on the shoulder. "Can't you go any faster?"

- - -

"Why couldn't you just tell the Secretary about Spencer's real plan?" Jaime questioned. "Why this?"

"Austin and Goldman will most certainly be looking for you. With any luck, they'll find Oliver, discover what he's really up to – and stop him. Oliver has too much power, even now. He's got the Secretary hanging on his every word."

"The Secretary wants to kill us?" Jaime was horrified; how far did this plot go?

"Of course not. He has no idea....but he wouldn't believe me if I did tell him. Not about his old fishing and golf buddy."

"Terrific."

Jaime jumped out of the chair in spite of Hansen's gun when the door to the cabin slammed open. Suddenly, Hansen's gun didn't matter; Oliver Spencer had a bigger one.

- - - - -


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Get over there against the wall, Jaime," Spencer ordered. "Mighty fine work, Jack – got her all wrapped up and waiting for me."

"You've gone too far, Oliver," Hansen told him. "I won't let you kill her."

"What can _you_ do, Jacky?" Spencer taunted? "Arrest me?" He laughed, and aimed his gun toward Jaime's head.

"No!" Hansen insisted. "You're making a mistake." He stepped in front of Jaime, who had already backed up against the wall, deciding to follow orders while she formulated what she hoped would be a plan.

"Outta the way, moron!" Spencer thundered.

"It's over, Oliver. Goldman and his men are on their way here by now. I left a trail."

"Did you? How perfect. I imagine he'll have the illustrious Colonel with him. They'll both be dead before they walk in the door. You've done well, Jacky; I'm proud of you."

"They'll catch you, you know," Hansen told him.

"Who will? With the three OSI misfits out of my way – and you, of course – who'll be left?" He grinned. "Oscar Goldman made a mess out of what should've been my legacy....my best work. This Project would've gone down in history as the ultimate war weapon. Since Goldman let human emotions get in the way and bungled it all to hell, they'll need someone to pick up the pieces at the OSI after he's gone."

"You don't have an ounce of sanity left, do you?" Hansen groaned. "How do you expect to get away with a warped plan like that?"

"Does this gun look familiar, Jacky?" Spencer asked, taking a menacing step closer. Hansen peered at the gun held in Oliver's gloved hand, and his face grew pale. "That's right; it's your gun, Jacky. _You_ killed Austin, Goldman – and this lovely lady, of course – and then disappeared. For good. Now step aside. She's going first."

"The hell she is!"

Oliver swung the gun down, purposely aiming low to just barely wing Hansen's left kneecap. As intended, it was enough to take him down but left him conscious and able to see what was coming without being able to get away. Jaime spun around and tore a knickknack shelf from the wall, flinging it at Spencer's gun arm and forcing the shot that would've hit her head to go wild.

Spencer growled and lunged at her, but Jaime ducked just in time and (in rapid succession) threw a chair, a lamp and finally a table, knocking him down each time only to have him come up shooting. "How many bullets does that thing hold, Jack?" she panted, still trying to fend him off with anything she could grab.

"He's got....the extra clip...." Hansen said weakly.

"Your turn is coming!" Oliver thundered toward Jack before firing again at Jaime. The little sofa took the bullet and then became a guided missile, flying through the cabin and hitting Spencer _smack_ in the forehead.

Finally, it was over. Jaime stepped through the rubble of what used to be a cabin to where her potential killer lay unconscious under a broken sofa. She picked up his gun and turned it into bionic sculpture, then sank to the floor next to Hansen. "Are you alright?" she asked. "How bad did he get you?"

"Shattered my kneecap, I think. But I'll live. Jaime, you are amaz -"

Once again, the door burst open. Jaime looked up and smiled wanly. "_Now_ the cavalry gets here?" she quipped.

Oscar, his own gun drawn, surveyed the scene. "Jack Hansen, you're under arrest!" he shouted. "Where's Spencer?"

"Under there," Jaime said, pointing to the biggest pile of rubble. "And go easy on Jack, huh? Believe it or not, he's one of the good guys." Steve extended an arm to help her to her feet, and she leaned into it. "How much trouble am I in....?" she asked in a tentative tone.

Steve couldn't answer at first, realizing just how close this had been. Jaime looked at him sorrowfully. "I never should've run off on you...and I'm sorry. I was just so scared – and so sure I knew the right way to handle this. But _you_ were right, Steve. I took a stupid chance and got really lucky."

"Babe," Oscar said, stepping through the debris to join them, "we're just glad you're safe. But we really do need to talk about this aversion you have to doing things by the book...."

- - - - -


	9. Epilogue

Epilogue

Jaime and Steve met in Oscar's office following their triumphant return to DC. "Oliver Spencer is at Bethesda," Oscar told them, "under heavy guard. I told the doctors to make sure he lives – to stand trial. And the Secretary sends his most humble apologies....to both of you."

"What about Jack?" Jaime asked. "What happens to him?"

"That depends on you, Babe."

"Me...?"

Oscar nodded. "He could be removed from his post and prosecuted; he did take you across state lines by force."

"No, he didn't!" Jaime insisted. She'd obviously already given this a lot of thought on the drive back. "He was doing his job – protecting me from harm. He saved my life!"

Oscar nodded again, smiling this time. "Then that's what we'll tell the officials. Now, until Rudy gets back here from the safe house to check you over, I want you to find a comfortable spot in his lab and just relax. _Stay put."_

"Another direct order, Boss?" Steve chuckled. "Really? 'Cause that worked out so well the last time..."

Jaime grinned. "All direct orders will be taken in," she quipped in a metallic, robot-like voice, "and processed thoroughly to determine the viability of such orders."

Oscar laughed in spite of himself. "Alright then, call it....a polite request."

END OF EPISODE THREE


End file.
